GABON. CONCLUSION OF HANDS OFF CAIN CONFERENCE FOR THE UN MORATORIUM ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

the conference organised by Hands Off Cain in Gabon on December 10 and 11 concluded today with the adoption of the Declaration of Libreville. The conference was held in partnership with the government of Gabon, under the patronage of President Omar Bongo Ondimba, with thanks to the financial support of the Dutch Government. The participants of various African countries including Burundi, Rwanda, Mali, Djibouti and the Democratic Republic of Congo launched a solemn appeal to the member states of the African Union and the UN to support the resolution for the Moratorium on capital punishment that will be discussed at the UN General Assembly on December 18.
The participants made a commitment to support the international campaign of Hands Off Cain for the universal Moratorium, so that all the countries and territories definitively abolish capital punishment. Commitments were also made to the defence of peace through respect by the State of rights on a national and international level.
In the course of the conference important and positive announcements were made. The Justice Minister of Burundi, Jena Bosco Ndikumana, announced the immediate adoption of an abolitionist law in that country, and the Senator of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Leonard She Okitundu, announced that he will present an abolitionist law to the Parliament in Kinshasa.